1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to surveillance systems including wireless security devices, and, more particularly, to the installation of surveillance systems including wireless security devices.
2. Description of the Related Art.
Surveillance systems, also known as security systems, are known to include wireless security devices, such as wireless motion detectors, wireless door sensors, wireless window sensors, wireless smoke detectors, etc., for monitoring a secured area of space. The wireless devices each bi-directionally communicate with a central controller via radio frequency (RF) signals or some other type of wireless and/or air-borne signals. Obviously, the performance of the security system is largely dependent upon each of the wireless security devices having strong reception of the RF signals transmitted by the central controller to the wireless security devices. Thus, each wireless device in use by a security system must be installed at a location where such strong RF signal reception is possible. That is, the wireless devices must be installed at locations that are free of electromagnetic shielding and other conditions that may cause poor radio frequency reception.
The identification of locations that yield good radio reception involves some trial and error. Typically, the central controller is installed at a location that is convenient for the user, and the wireless devices are mounted at locations where the detection of intruders is needed. Although some consideration may be given to the RF reception between the central controller and the wireless devices, the detection of intruders is the primary factor in deciding where to mount the wireless devices. After the wireless devices have been mounted, the installer walks to the central controller and operates the system in order to determine, among other things, whether the RF reception of the wireless devices at the mounting locations is acceptable. If not, the wireless devices are relocated and the process is repeated until an acceptable level of RF reception by the wireless devices is achieved. A problem with this approach is that mounting the wireless devices, even temporarily, is time consuming and typically requires holes to be drilled in the walls. Thus, each time a wireless device is relocated, the holes and other wall damage from a previous mounting must be repaired. Another problem is that the installer must return to the central controller each time the RF reception at a new location of a wireless device is to be tested. The walking back and forth between the relocated wireless-devices and the central controller is a time-consuming aspect of the installation of the surveillance system.
Another problem is the adequacy of the location of the central controller for RF communication with mobile wireless devices, such as panic devices and keyfobs, is rarely tested. Such testing would require a first installer to walk around the premises while activating the mobile wireless device, and a second installer to man the central controller and monitor the changing quality of RF reception. Thus, the location of a central controller is typically chosen for the convenience of the user without any testing of its suitability for RF reception.
What is needed in the art is a method of installing a wireless security system without the installer having to mount the wireless devices on walls in order to test the RF reception of the wireless devices at the mounting locations. What is also needed is a method of installing a wireless security system without the installer having to repeatedly walk between the mounting locations and the central controller in order to test the RF reception of the wireless devices at the mounting locations. What is further needed is a method of easily testing the RF reception characteristics of a location of a central controller.